Aug 18, 2016

Exploring Seoul: Cool Beer Edition

Planning my trip to Korea, I never thought I would end up on a hunt for cool and different beers around Seoul. But when I randomly found out about whipped cream beer, I became really intrigued to find what other beer creations Korea had to offer. So my beer adventures began...


Whipped Cream Beer

Place: Chir Chir Fusion Chicken FactoryAddress: Myeongdong 8ga-gil, humgmuro 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul


At every Chir Chir in Seoul, they have chimaek, which is basically chicken and beer. But I only found this kind of beer (topped with whipped cream) in Myeongdong. It was pretty good only because I ate the whipped cream separately before drinking the beer, which itself was not bad either. I say this because my first experience at a Chir Chir was in Sinchon, and the beer there was pretty watered down and the foam died after 2 seconds :(, but this one had a decent taste according to me haha....

whipped, cream, beer, chimaek, chicken, korea, seoul, myeongdong, chir chir

Line's Brown Bear Beer

Place: Line Friends Store & Cafe 
Address: Itaewon

I was very surprised to find out that the Line Cafe at Itaewon served beer. They had a meal set specially for the "Brown Brewery" Beer, which included 5 pieces of sausage along with the beer. I think they also had a set with their signature burger too. Overall it was pretty good, although I don't think I would choose to go get beer at Line more than the food or ice cream.

line, friends, store, cafe, itaewon, seoul, korea, beer, sausage, brown, bear, kakao

Frozen Foam Beer

Place: Izakaya Bar
Address: Hongdae

This "whipped cream" beer was a little deceiving because it wasn't actually whipped cream, it was more like frozen beer foam on top of the beer. It simply tasted like frozen beer foam. That's all I have to say.

whipped, cream, foam, beer, izakaya, hongdar, hapcheong, seoul, korea, cool, pub

Lightbulb Beer (Hongdae)


light, bulb, beer, hongdae, seoul, korea,

Hand Steak Beer

Place: W Hand Steak
Address: 28, 23-gil Yanghwa-ro, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul

At W Hand Steak, they have different beverage options such as tea, orange juice, and beer, to go along with different steak options which include the meat, cheese sauce, veggies, and rice at the bottom of the little tray. It was really good but super filling because the cup was huge >.<

w hand steak, shrimp, steak, beer, gallon, hongdae, hapcheong,


Cotton Candy Beer

Place: Pub Passe
Address: Exit 1, Sadang Station: Line 2, Seoul

It was really hard to drink this beer with the cotton candy on the way. So I just got rid of it and drank the beer by itself. Honestly, I just didn't want to try beer with sugar mixed in...

pub passe, pub, beer, cotton, candy, foam, chicken, chimaek, chimek, seoul, food,


Beer Ice Cream Pop

Place: Molly's Pops
Address: Eoulmadang-ro, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul

At Molly's Pops, they have a lot of different unique flavors such as wasabi, cheese, and a variety of alcoholic drink flavors like beer, wine, makgeolli, and champagne. One of my favorite ones was raspberry champagne, and the most surprising one was wasabi because it literally tasted like a bar of frozen wasabi. But apart from that, I would recommend this place not only because of the unique flavors but also because of their fruity pops which have natural ingredients, and are homemade. (note: I don't really have much to say about the beer pop; not sure it tasted much like beer...)


erdinger, beer, ice cream, pops, wasabi, mollys pops, hongdae, wine, champagne, kalhua, makgeolli, seoul,

Beer Body Wash

Place: Aritaum

Aritaum is a beauty and make up store that can be found at every shopping street in Seoul. They have really good quality eye shadows and are fairly cheap. But what I found interesting was their beer body wash. They had different scents such as lemon, coffee, and grapefruit; and they also came in two sizes, a teeny sample one and the regular sized shown below.

aritaum, beer body wash

Convenient Beer

GS 25 Convenience Store
 (Sinchon)

This beer includes peanuts in its packaging. Pretty neat huh?


It was pretty fun exploring Korean beer and finding all these different kinds and forms of beer, but I do have to say that there were a lot of places where the beer did not meet my expectations simply because it was pretty much watered down draft beer. And I also have to say that, from this trip, my favorite one overall was not even in Korea, it was the beer I had in Tokyo at a gyoza restaurant near Asakusa Temple. LOL

asahi, beer, tokyo, japan, asakusa, gyoza

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this blog and thank you for visiting my blog!
Mayu :)

Aug 11, 2016

Cool, Cute Cafes in Seoul, Korea


     During my study abroad in Korea, I was able to find a lot of cute and interesting cafes around Seoul, and I would like to share some of my findings with you :3


Banana Tree Cafe

Address: 525-3 Apgujeong-ro 4-gil, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Banana Tree is a cafe that offers cakes and patbingsu in flower pots, as well as warm/cold drinks topped with a huge cloud of  cotton candy. I believe there are two locations in Seoul, one in Gangnam and another one in Itaewon, The one that I went was in Gangnam and it was pretty small, and had to wait around 20 minutes to get a seat. I did pass by the one in Itaewon and I saw it is a little more spacious, so I would recommend going to that one instead.

banana, tree, cafe. seoul. korea, cotton candy, cool , cute


Caface

Hongik-ro 3-gil, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea


I found this cafe while wondering around Hondae. It is in one of the alleyways next to one of the clothing shop street near Hongik Station line 2 (exit 9). At Caface, there is a photo booth where you take a picture of yourself with a phone provided, and then somehow they put the picture on the foam of your coffee. It is not a sticker, the print is actually tinted foam so you can drink yourself. Pretty creepy haha...

caface, seoul, korea, corea, cafe, art, daniel wellington, latte




Nature Fruit Cafe

Gangnam-daero, Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

bingsu, melon, balls, watermelon, ice cream, shaved ice, vanilla, chocolate



Thanks Nature Cafe (Sheep Cafe)

6 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea


At Thanks Nature Cafe, they have two sheep that you can pet, feed, and get pictures with, after you make a purchase at their cafe (the sheep are outside the cafe, but inside, it is all decorated with sheep art). They have a lot of different desserts like waffles and bingsu, as well as hot/cold beverages.


Line Friends Store & Cafe

535-15, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea



Cafe Bora

Yulgok-ro 3-gil, Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Cafe Bora is a dessert place where they make all of their treats out of sweet purple potato. I tried the ice cream and the honey potato chips, and they were both pretty good. I would really recommend this place. They have bingsu and tea options as well.

sweet, purple, potato, ice cream, chips, cafe, bora, seoul, hanok, village, bukchon


Ddong Cafe (Poop Cafe)

38 Insadong-gil, Gwanhun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea


This cafe is on the top floor of Ssamziegil mall in Insadong, where there is also a poop museum called Poopoo Land (it is really fun), and have stands selling poop shaped breads filled with azuki beans. Inside the cafe, everything is poop and bathroom themed, and decorated with flowers to make it look prettier. They offer desserts, drinks, and pasta in bathroom bowls like the one in the picture.

poop, cafe, seoul, ssamziegil, insadong, ddong, cafe, coffee, latte, art, roses, bathroom

Hello Kitty Cafe

364-6 Eoulmadang-ro, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

hello kitty cafe


La Douce

Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

La Douce cafe was one of my favorite cafes because of how cute the foam on the drinks is and how the cheesecake is made to look like cheddar cheese (it tastes like regular cheesecake, and if I don't remember wrong, I think it was lime cheesecake). 

korean, cafe, la douce, cat, bear, foam, latte, art, cheesecake, cheddar, cheese, matcha, cappuccino, starbucks, seoul, hongdae, coffee street



Florte Flower Cafe

37-gil Wausan, Donggyo-dong, Mapo-Gu, Seoul

Super Cute cafe where you can get pictures with flower crowns, and other decorations provided for customers; along with your drink. 



Raccoon Cafe (Hongdae)


A lot of my friends did not want to go to Racoon Cafe because they seem scary, but these raccoons were pretty friendly and it was fun feeding them and playing around with them too. 
raccoon cafe, seoul, korea, cafe, coffee

Take-Out Drawing Cafe (Itaewon)

Dongsung, Jogno-gu,Seoul

I got a coffee topped with meringue at Take-Out, and it was pretty good. All of their other items on their menu look as fancy as this one that I got. I would recommend for coffee lovers.

korea, coffee, seoul, cafe, meringue, cappuccino, cool, unique, gangnam, itaewon,



Line Friends Store & Cafe Itaewon


Although there are a lot of Line Cafes in Seoul, I think that the best one is the one at Itaewon because they offer the most variety on their menu such as burgers sets, ice cream, macaroons, and even beer. The breakfast  set that I got included scrambled eggs, sausages with faces, bacon, french toast, and coffee.
line, friends, cafe, store, itaewon, seoul, korea, sausages, french, toast, cool, bacon, eggs, scrambled, macaron, macaroon, ice cream, hamburger, burger


Nina Kitchen (Edae)

Walk straight from Ehwa Woman's University station Line 2, exit 3; turn right at Ewhayeodae 3-gil, and it should be on your right. (The address on Google Maps takes you to the Starbucks near there).

nina, kitchen, ehwa, womans, university, cheese, curry, korean, cat, cute, seoul, cafe, cordon bleu, tonkatsu, makgeolli,

Colline


408-27, Eoulmadang-ro, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-Gu, Seoul

Colline was one of the nicest places I visited. It is decorated all around with flowers, and the food and drinks are served in really nice trays, dishes, and (the hipster) mason jars. 


FYI:
I have an Instagram account (@soniyumms) where I posted a lot of the places I went to eat in Seoul (you can also find the location on the pictures on Instagram). And I used Google Maps during my stay in Korea, and worked perfectly fine with subway and bus stations. But as for walking, it doesn't tell you what route to use, it only draws a straight line from the station to the destination, but all I did was follow the map's lines instead of the trajectory that it tells you, and was able to reach my destination.

One last note; although there is wifi almost everywhere in Seoul, it does not connect all of the time so it may become troublesome, but for me, I was able to survive without having to buy data for my phone.



Jun 28, 2015

My First Birch Box of June 2015


birchbox, subscription box, style me pretty, wedding,


birch box, subscription box, makeup, beauty box, health box, skin care, laura geller, karatase, la fresh,


In the box was included:


-Keratase Elixir Ultimate ($15)
-Laura Geller Blush ($13)
-LA Fresh Makeup Remover ($0)
-Marcelle BB Cream Golden Glow ($0)
-Vasanti Cosmetics Face Rejuvenator ($5)
- Bonus: Deepa Gurani Hair Tie ($10)


Average Total Price of the box is around $43, which is a good price compared to the $10 that I paid for the box. They sent a pretty good valued box with really good products that I have been wanting to try on my hair and skin.


Before making this purchase, I was unsure about whether or not to re-subscribe to Ipsy or to try something new. I chose the latter because I did not want a lot of makeup products since I had already been supplied with similar products during the time that I was subscribed to Ipsy. This time I wanted beauty products that would help my skin and hair feel and look better, so I opted for my second option.


Birch Box did not fail me in sending me products that I needed and I think that part of it is because of the quiz that subscribers are required to complete about their beauty preferences, before signing up to their box. I think I will try another month and see how it goes. 


I have learned that the major difference between Ipsy and Birchbox is that Birchbox sends beauty products (creams, exfoliants, masks, etc.) while Ipsy specifically sends makeup products only (lipsticks, blushes, foundation, makeup brushes, etc.) And because of this, I will be sticking with Birch Box for another month and leaving Ipsy behind for a while until I empty my makeup products, or until I feel like I want to experiment with new products.

If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions, please feel free to comment down below. I would be happy to answer to them. 



Mayu Girl :)







Up 2 You Cafe for the First Time


nutella, crepe, bananas, strawberries, matcha, green tea, ice cream, sorbet, waffle, up 2 you, cafe
Nutella Crepe and Belgian Waffle 

up 2 you, cafe, menu, dessert, waffle, honey bread, creepes, tiramisu, churros, souffle, bento, smoothies, tea,
Up 2 You Cafe Menu


matcha, green tea, ice cream, strawberries, bananas, blueberries, belgian, waffle, up 2 you, cafe, food, review





























Up 2 You Cafe had always been a place I wanted to go because of how popular it is on Instagram, I would scroll down my Insta feed and always see delicious desserts from this place and couldn't wait to get my own delicious plate of sweetness. So when I finally got to go, I was really excited to see what this place was all about.


I was definitely not disappointed. Up 2 You Cafe has some pretty good looking and tasting desserts. It honestly made my day because I really enjoyed my Belgian waffle, along with the chill vibes of the place, created by the comfortable seats, table games, and colorful walls, There is not a lot more I can say about this place, except that it is a great place to hang out with friends while enjoying a deliciously sweet meal.


Mayu Girl :p





Jun 20, 2015

O-Mighty James Franco Top and ZooShoo Platform Sandals


o mighty, james franco, omweekend, face print, zooshoo, platform sandals, birkenstock, forever 21, kimono cardigan, vscocam




Top: omighty.com
Bottoms: Japan
Cardi: +Forever 21
Shoes: +ZOOSHOO 


I just wanted to share my opinion on the online stores O Mighty and ZooShoo, since I have recently made purchases through these websites for the first time, and wanted to review their products for those who are unsure about purchasing products through these websites. 


1)
O Mighty Top:
Super comfortable fabric, very good quality, but definitely and expensive website to purchase products. I think I got this top on a day where they were offering 50% discount last year, which is extremely rare for O mighty to offer any discounts. But it was totally worth it because it is a unique and fun top to wear on casual days.


2)
ZooShoo Sandals
These sandals are very very comfortable and I am very happy that I purchased them because on top of being super comfortable, they were very inexpensive compared to Birks. At first I was nervous about ordering these shoes because I had never ordered any shoes from +ZooShoo but I have realized that they are a pretty good online website to purchase shoes from since I have also bought another pair of shoes which are pretty amazing, in my opinion.


So overall I had a very good experience with both websites and do recommend them for those in search of unique clothing from O Mighty and shoes from ZooShoo. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to comment on my blog. 


Have a great one!
Mayu Girl :)













Jun 5, 2015

Prom at the San Diego Zoo


prom, san diego zoo, san diego, senior dance, animals

san diego zoo, prom, high school

prom, san diego zoo,

Having the prom at the San Diego Zoo was a pretty intimidating idea at the beginning, because many of our class didn't know what to expect and didn't know whether it was going to be worth trying or not. It was definitely hard to imagine having a formal dance in the middle of a zoo and being okay with it not being at a fancy hotel or a ball room. But we eventually learned that the event wasn't as bad as we thought it would be. 

The venue where our prom took place was lighted up with beautiful web type hanging lights and there was heating on the top of several poles between the tables. The temperature was quite nice despite the fact that it was outside in the chilly night. 

We were provided with several services such as an animal show show during the first hour, which I missed; Sky Safari, tables, and table decorations. I think that these aspects contributed to make our prom night a pretty memorable, fun, and unique experience; apart from the typical photo booth, food, and dance, (that we too had) that every typical prom dance has. 

I am grateful that I got to have my prom at a venue that is not so much used or typically used for prom events because it made it ten times more special for my last year of high school. Of course, it wouldn't have meant anything if I hadn't gone with my group of friends, I mean that's the whole point of it. Just to enjoy a fancy last dance with friends that you've made during high school and have fun. 

Jun 1, 2015

Missguided Shoes, Urban Outfitters Socks



UO, urban, outfitters, sheer, socks, mesh, gladiator, shoes, missguided, charlotte russe, japan, outfit, fashion, inspiration, lookbook, mayugirl

Tops: Japan
Skirt: +Charlotte Russe 
Shoes: +Missguided 

I think it is the first time that I have ever worn a matching set in my life, and I love it. It is so effortless yet it looks so nice. I kind of tried to match the color of my top with the socks, which I think worked out nicely. So you will probably see me doing this more often, I mean wearing sets and matching stuff haha.

As for the shoes from Missguided, I though that they would go along well with my sheer socks from UO. I also wanted to say that the shoes are super comfortable because they have a heavy sole. I don't know if that makes sense but it feels really comfortable. I got these from the sale section and they were worth it! I believe that they are no longer available but they do have really nice and cheap shoes on their webpage. So yes, I would recommend Missguided shoes to those who are not familiar with the breand and are thinking about geting a pair of shoes.

And for the socks, I love them to death. The only thing is that I can't find any socks like these anywhere and I wish they were available because I want more! They are just perfect for the warmer weathers and don't make your feet feel overheated.



uo, urban outfitters, sheer, socks, flower, print, mesh, dainty,
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please comment down below. If you would like to see more, feel free to browse my blog and subscribe via e mail, Google+, or Bloglovin'.
And if you are interested in following me through my social media, you can follow my Instagram and Twitter @mayugirl1 (with a one in the end) :p

May 13, 2015

Influenster Blossom Vox Box

This month, +Influenster sent me a free box complimentary for testing purposes. It was a big surprise for me because they had never sent me anything bigger than a bag of fruit, so I was really happy and excited when I received it.

influenster, blossom, vox, box, beanitos, sally, hansen, hair, food, granola, vegan, food



Inside the box there were a few coupons included as well as a card that described each item included in the box or #BlossomVoxBox 


hair, food, australian, coast, bronzer, tanner, sunscreen, ginger, strawberries, shampoo, influenster,

1. Hair Food Root Cleansing Shampoo ($9.99)

This shampoo smells like strawberries with a hint of ginger. It is a shampoo that claims to detoxify your hair and scalp by removing buildup. It really does do what it says from what I experienced. My scalp felt super refreshed and my hair felt really soft and smelled great. I would really recommend it because it does what it says and because it is made with healthy ingredients that will benefit your hair.

2. Australian Gold Sunscreen SPF 30 ($7.99)

This sunscreen smells really good at the beginning but as time passes by, it becomes a little too overwhelming. It gave me a headache when I put it on my neck and cheeks. I think this is best for the body and not parts that are too close to your nose or you may feel dizzy like me, I did like that it did not feel greasy and that it did not smell like regular sunscreen, at least they are trying to be different!

3. Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs (13.99)

4. NYC Color City Proof 24 HR Shadow (Tribeca Taupe; $2.99)

I was not really happy with this product because it feels as if I'm drawing my lids with crayola because it feels really sticky and not very smooth. It also came out of the tube while I was applying it. So from what I experiences, I would not recommend this product...

nyc, city, proof, eye, shadow, waterproof, makeup, influenster, blossom vox box, subscription box,




5. Beanitos ($3.49)

I was really impressed with these chips because they are really really good and are made with healthy and natural ingredients. I really liked these chips because of the thick, perfectly round chips, that were so delicious and flavorful. Definitely give them a try!!! @Beanitos #AllinaBagofChips



Vegan, salad, recipe, black bean chips, chips, beanitos, influenster, blossom, vox, box, subscription box, freebie

I ate these chips with a small salad and it almost reminded me of a decomposed taco. I really enjoyed this healthy snack from Beanitos.


6. Bear Naked Granola ($10.49/ 12 oz.)

These granola bar pouches seemed pretty normal except for the fact that one of them had a curry flavor, which was pretty interesting. The granola alone was crunchy and flavorful. I think they are a good option for healthy snacking. The only thing that was disappointing was the fact that the pouch on the left only had one small cube of caramel and the one on the right only had two pieces of almonds, everything else was granola. I wish they had included a little bit more of those extra ingredients other than granola. @livvebearnaked #livebearnaked #contest +Influenster 


nasoya, pasta, noodles, recipe, healthy, nutritious, unch, rice,


7. Nasoya Pasta Zero Noodles

I am really happy that +Influenster sent me these pasta noodles because they are really healthy and do not feel heavy. They are only 15 calories per serving which is half of the pouch where they come in. Which is why they are filling but won't make you bloat. So this is how I used them: +Nasoya #nasoyapastazero #contest

1) Cook Vegetables
2) Follow instrution in package to cook noodles. Cut noodles in shorter length.
3) Mix vegetables and noodles with water.
4) Add in fish powder for flavor
5)Add chicken and lemon flavored soysauce
6) Serve with rice.